‘A great bloke, I’ve not stopped crying’

Christopher Burch’s girlfriend Natasha Rolfe has visited the tree in Woodford Park every day since he was found hanging there last week

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Tributes have been paid to dad Christopher Burch who was found dead in Woodley.

Mr Burch, 27, was discovered hanging from a tree in Woodford Park on Thursday last week.

Police are not treating his death as suspicious.

Natasha Rolfe, 23, who had lived with him at her home in Stockton Road, Whitley, since shortly after the couple met in summer, told the Reading Post of the heartbreak she had gone through when she discovered what had happened.

The couple had met in Prospect Park Hospital – both were there because they had suffered from depression.

Natasha said: “We became very close in hospital then Chris was discharged, and a few days later I was as well.

“When I came out we started meeting and then Chris began to live with me. We had our ups and downs but that’s just normal relationships.”

She said Mr Burch was much loved by her daughters, Marni, five, and Keira, four – children from another relationship – and in September Mr Burch joined Natasha and her family for a holiday at Weymouth Bay.

She said: “We had a great time and while on holiday Chris told us that he felt like he was part of a family again.

“Chris was very good with my two daughters and they really looked up to him. He was a great bloke and I will always remember everything that he did for us. I just wish that I could have helped him before now like he helped me when I needed him to.

“He is going to be missed so much and all I can say is that I had the last four months with him and they were precious to me and my girls. They are the memories that I will be holding on to of him in my heart.

“I loved you Chris and always will no matter what. One day we will meet again.”

Natasha said she has visited the tree where he was found in Woodford Park every day since Mr Burch died.

She added: “I have not stopped crying. Every little thing just makes me cry.”

An inquest opened this week into Mr Burch’s death and was adjourned to a later date, which has not yet been set.

Mr Burch, whose address given by the coroners was Ashburton Road, Whitley, was believed to have a daughter aged six and a son aged 11 from previous relationships.

Tributes to him were also emailed to getreading, including from Erin, who said: “Chris was my soul mate, fantastic father to our beautiful daughter and a much loved son, brother and friend.”

And Amy Farrell said: “I am over in Germany. I received a phone call today regarding this man’s death. I have a son with him [aged 11] and now have to sit my son down and tell him that not only is his father dead but he felt things were so difficult that he had to take his own life.

“Please spare a thought for us today as you go about your day to day life. RIP.”